This invention relates to railless means of land transport. It can be used with particular advantage in the construction of wheeled vehicles having sprung and unsprung masses. It can also be used in the construction of track-laying vehicles having a spring-assisted suspension system.
Well known in the art are motor vehicles, or automobiles, wherein the suspension of each unsprung mass (wheel) comprises arms, the ends of which are articulated to the unsprung and sprung masses, and a resilient element comprising a shock absorber and a spring located between one of said arms and the sprung mass and articulated thereto. The resilient element resists the relative movement of the unsprung mass and decreases the oscillations involved. With this location of the resilient element, a part of its mass pertains to the unsprung mass.
When such a suspension is employed in a racing car, the location of the resilient element between one of the suspension arms and the sprung mass impairs the aerodynamical properties of the vehicle with a consequent increase in drag.
The suspension arm connected to the resilient element is subjected to bending and, therefore, its mass needs to be increased. Another disadvantage resulting from the aforementioned location of the resilient element is that removal of the resilient element necessitates a partial disassembly of the suspension with a consequent complication of the vehicle servicing.